Never Underestimate a Mother

How To Connect On Social Media (#1 Tip from @RickiLake)

2012-01-31T01:55:00.004-05:00

Social media has changed the world forever. In just 140 characters or an update to your Facebook status, you have the potential to connect with a complete stranger in the same town or across the globe. In an instant, Friendships are being formed. Business is taking place. People are connecting. And the world will never be the same.

But it isn’t that easy…

Many people are standing on the sidelines of social media, unsure of how to jump into the conversation and contribute their thoughts. There is uncertainty about how one can form bonds with people they have never met “face to face.”

Are you one of many asking the question, “how?”

That is why we are here and you can know one thing for sure… You are in the right place! We have teamed up with Ricki Lake, one of the most engaged celebrities on social media, to share 5 tips for connecting with people in an instant on social media.

Watch this video to hear Ricki Lake’s #1 Tip for Connecting on Social Media

2. Be Respectful.

Leave judgment at the door and respect that other people on social media have beliefs and opinions that are their own. This is what makes them unique! Just as in offline relationships, if you want to make friends, you have to be one first. If you want people to respect you, start by being respectful of them.

3. Be Inspiring.

People like social media for many reasons. Many will share that they feel uplifted and empowered to live their best life by connecting with inspiring and positive people. If you want to make a lot of friends on social media, be inspiring. Be encouraging. Be a friend.

4. Be Generous.

The more you offer to help others in life, the more “likeable” you will be. When on social media you can help others by supporting their work. Take the time to mention people, and give them positive feedback. When you re-tweet or share the content of others they feel good and are more likely to appreciate and connect with you. Remember, "it's not about me, it's about we".

5. Find a Fun Community!

Following a hashtag community on Twitter or joining a group or community on Facebook is a great way to connect with people who are like you and who are usually looking for the same type of connection you are looking for. Twitter and Facebook are the largest gathering of individuals on the planet. Communities are simply small groups within. Think of communities on social media as you would small break-out sessions at a very, very large conference. The name on the door is the community. Pick the door that tells you that you share common interests with those on the other side. Then, open the door, step inside and say hello via a tweet or a post on the Facebook wall. You will be surprised that many are waiting for... you!

If you are looking for a community that is based on friendship and connection, please join Ricki Lake and the Friends of Ricki for a very special announcement and a first hand look at social media connection on Ustream at http://ustream.tv/rickilake and using Twitter hashtag #FriendsofRicki at 5pm PST this Wednesday, February 1. We look forward to seeing you and connecting with you there!

Do you have any ideas or questions about making connections on social media? Please leave your thoughts in the comments and let's discuss.

Victim

2012-01-28T09:39:00.001-05:00

Allowing oneself to slip into a victim mentality is a painful and downward spiral that makes it hard to see things clearly.

The positive is that when one removes oneself from this vicious circle of thought and action, one can - as i said in an earlier post - rise from the ashes a stronger person...

It is all a learning process and viewing the circle as something that cannot be overcome may seem easier than simply accepting the fact that we are choosing to be drawn there out of pain...not anger...

Allowing yourself to grieve is perfectly natural...so take a deep breath...accept yourself and love yourself as you are...give yourself just as much care and compassion as you would give to a friend in their time of need... Sometimes we just need to allow ourselves to take the time to heal...without judgement or derision toward our seeming weakness.

There is a strength that is found in being vulnerable, accepting and kind to oneself...and in this strength and knowledge we find that we can open our hearts to others and show them the understanding and kindess that we have shown ourselves. ~ DCincioni 1-28-12

#HoldThatThought - power

2011-12-08T14:57:00.001-05:00

Your thoughts and your words have power...use them wisely. #HoldThatThought ~ dcincioni ©12/08/11

Hold that thought - #Fearless

2011-11-23T14:46:00.003-05:00

Step out of your way and you will be removing the one thing that stops you from being successful... #Fearless #HoldThatThought ~dcincioni ©11/23/11

Hold That Thought...again

2011-11-06T16:01:00.003-05:00

We are not all master communicators. How we feel and what we want someone to hear is not always expressed in a cohesive or succinct way… So Please, listen to what someone is saying - focus with your heart. Judgments and Misperceptions block Understanding and can lead to conflicts.

If you dont understand what someone is saying, take the time to reflect back what they are saying, and ask them if "That" is what they meant - this can bring clarity to the conversation...

Realize too that the other person may not be "Hearing" what you are saying. So be patient and don’t close the door to communication...see this as an opportunity to learn a new language, : ) to express yourself in a new way...

Let your thoughts and words reflect positively on Your Soul and let them fall kindly on others. Remember that just because you think that a person is Not fully living what they believe...act gently toward them... No one is perfect... That they have the understanding to express how they should be, and are striving to Be that, is a positive and beautiful thing.

#HoldThatThought ~dcincioni ©11/6/11

Hold That Thought - Ponderings & Perceptions

2011-11-01T16:03:00.004-04:00

These are a collection of Ponderings and Perceptions that will be posted on Twitter and Face Book. I will be adding to them over time and I hope that you enjoy my thoughtfull moments... : )

There are moments in time when you can be sure that all Is as it should Be in your world. #HoldThatThought ~dcincioni ©10/31/11

Dont blame others for your actions. Just own it, learn from it and LET It Go. #HoldThatThought ~dcincioni ©11/1/11

His words

2011-10-20T04:18:00.001-04:00

His words/though seemingly kind/ambiguously fluttered ~dcincioni © 10/20/11

2011-09-19T03:50:00.000-04:00

Guest Blogger: Sarah Lenssen from #Ask5for5
Family photos by Mike Fiechtner Photography

Thank you Debra, @MomsofAmerica and nearly 150 other bloggers from around the world for allowing me to share a story with you today, during Social Media Week.

A hungry child in East Africa can't wait. Her hunger consumes her while we decide if we'll respond and save her life. In Somalia, children are stumbling along for days, even weeks, on dangerous roads and with empty stomachs in search of food and water. Their crops failed for the third year in a row. All their animals died. They lost everything. Thousands are dying along the road before they find help in refugee camps.

At my house, when my three children are hungry, they wait minutes for food, maybe an hour if dinner is approaching. Children affected by the food crisis in in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia aren't so lucky. Did you know that the worst drought in 60 years is ravaging whole countries right now, as you read this? Famine, a term not used lightly, has been declared in Somalia. This is the world's first famine in 20 years.12.4 million people are in need of emergency assistance and over 29,000 children have died in the last three months alone. A child is dying every 5 minutes. It it estimated that 750,000 people could die before this famine is over. Take a moment and let that settle in.

The media plays a major role in disasters. They have the power to draw the attention of society to respond--or not. Unfortunately, this horrific disaster has become merely a footnote in most national media outlets. News of the U.S. national debt squabble and the latest celebrity's baby bump dominate headlines. That is why I am thrilled that nearly 150 bloggers from all over the world are joining together today to use the power of social media to make their own headlines; to share the urgent need of the almost forgotten with their blog readers. Humans have the capacity to care deeply for those who are suffering, but in a situation like this when the numbers are too huge to grasp and the people so far away, we often feel like the little we can do will be a drop in the ocean, and don't do anything at all.

When news of the famine first hit the news in late July, I selfishly avoided it. I didn't want to read about it or hear about it because I knew I would feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. I wanted to protect myself. I knew I would need to do something if I knew what was really happening. You see, this food crisis is personal. I have a 4-year-old son and a 1 yr-old daughter who were adopted from Ethiopia and born in regions now affected by the drought. If my children still lived in their home villages, they would be two of the 12.4 million. My children: extremely hungry and malnourished? Gulp. I think any one of us would do anything we could for our hungry child. But would you do something for another mother's hungry child?

My friend and World Vision staffer, Jon Warren, was recently in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya--the largest refugee camp in the world with over 400,000 people. He told me the story of Isnino Siyat, 22, a mother who walked for 10 days and nights with her husband, 1 yr-old-baby, Suleiman, and 4 yr.-old son Adan Hussein, fleeing the drought in Somalia. When she arrived at Dadaab, she built the family a shelter with borrowed materials while carrying her baby on her back. Even her dress is borrowed. As she sat in the shelter on her second night in camp she told Jon, "I left because of hunger. It is a very horrible drought which finished both our livestock and our farm." The family lost their 5 cows and 10 goats one by one over 3 months, as grazing lands dried up. "We don't have enough food now...our food is finished. I am really worried about the future of my children and myself if the situation continues."

Will you help a child like Baby Suleiman? Ask5for5 is a dream built upon the belief that you will.

That something I knew I would need to do became a campaign called #Ask5for5 to raise awareness and funds for famine and drought victims. The concept is simple, give $5 and ask five of your friends to give $5, and then they each ask five of their friends to give $5 and so on--in nine generations of 5x5x5...we could raise $2.4 Million! In one month, over 750 people have donated over $25,000! I set up a fundraiser at See Your Impact and 100% of the funds will go to World Vision, an organization that has been fighting hunger in the Horn of Africa for decades and will continue long after this famine has ended. Donations can multiply up to 5 times in impact by government grants to help provide emergency food, clean water, agricultural support, healthcare, and other vital assistance to children and families suffering in the Horn.

I need you to help me save lives. It's so so simple; here's what you need to do:

Donate $5 or more on this page (http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5)
Send an email to your friends and ask them to join us.
Share #Ask5for5 on Facebook and Twitter!

I'm looking for another 100 bloggers to share this post on their blogs throughout Social Media Week. Email me at ask5for5@gmail.com if you're interested in participating this week.

A hungry child doesn't wait. She doesn't wait for us to finish the other things on our to-do list, or get to it next month when we might have a little more money to give. She doesn't wait for us to decide if she's important enough to deserve a response. She will only wait as long as her weakened little body will hold on...please respond now and help save her life. Ask 5 for 5.

Thank you on behalf of all of those who will be helped--you are saving lives and changing history.

p.s. Please don't move on to the next website before you donate and email your friends right now. It only takes 5 minutes and just $5, and if you're life is busy like mine, you probably won't get back to it later. Let's not be a generation that ignores hundreds of thousands of starving people, instead let's leave a legacy of compassion. You have the opportunity to save a life today!

Nationwide Tweet-up With Fashion Designer George Zaharoff At Select Nordstrom Stores

2011-09-01T20:29:00.002-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Giuseppe Longo

Email: FashionClassandJetLag@gmail.com

Luxury Blog Fashion + Class & Jet Lag Collaborates With Fashion Designer George Zaharoff At Select Nordstrom Stores

Luxury blog fashion + class & jet lag is pleased to announce sponsorship of a nationwide tweet-up, collaborating with mens/womenswear designer George Zaharoff which will be held at select Nordstrom locations. Wanting to showcase Zaharoff's Mens Fall/Winter 2011 Collection, Nordstrom will be the location for the first ever in-store tweet-ups in key mainline stores. Happening on Saturday evenings in select cities during the end of September/beginning of October, the tweet-ups will occur right after Mr. Zaharoff's daytime personal appearances.

The personal appearances will be open to Nordstrom's customers, which then will be immediately followed by the specific social media in-store events, geared heavily toward those who are signed-up with Twitter. The social media part, to take place on the sales floor, will be sponsored by fashion + class & jet lag, hosted personally by Editor and Writer Giuseppe Longo. George Zaharoff will be present for meet-and-greet. Limited gift bags will be handed out.

Taking marketing and social media to the next level, Zaharoff and fashion + class & jet lag are reaching out directly and personally to everyone in the "twittersphere," having been inspired by many months of engagement with members on Twitter. This will be the first time a retailer, fashion brand and luxury blog have combined forces to spotlight a designer's collection within three key markets - Seattle, Chicago, and Washington DC. George Zaharoff says, "These are going to be very special tweet-ups as well as fun and casual. Just to be able to introduce myself and the collection to people we chat with on an almost daily basis is awesome." Giuseppe Longo agrees, "This is the future of marketing - social media. And doing this innovative collaboration with George and Nordstrom is going to be exciting. The best part will be meeting everyone and also tweeting with them."

The dates are as follows at the following Nordstrom stores:

-Seattle Bellevue Square: September 24

-Washington, DC Pentagon City: October 1

-Chicago Michigan Avenue: October 8

The tweet-up events will be from 4 PM until 7 PM, immediately following the Zaharoff's seasonal personal appearances. They are looking forward to having everyone online join the fun. Twitter handles are as follows: fashion + class & jet lag (@FashionClassJet), George Zaharoff (@Zaharoff), Nordstrom (@Nordstrom). Also, the designated hash tag that has been assigned for the tweet-ups: #ZLive

Nordstrom is an American retailer based out of Seattle, Washington which has over 120 doors coast-to-coast. George Zaharoff is a mens and womenswear designer under the "Zaharoff" label selling to select Nordstrom and specialty stores throughout the country. Fashion + class & jet lag (fashionclassandjetlag.com) is a New York City based luxury blog that covers exclusivity and elegance within fashion, culture, and travel.

###

If you'd like more information about these events please contact Giuseppe Longo at FashionClassandJetLag@gmail.com or Letitia Watson of Zaharoff at 312.624.9633

Foundation Announces Changes to Dedication Day Plans #MLK

2011-08-25T21:49:00.002-04:00

Washington (August 25, 2011) – This evening Harry E. Johnson, Sr. president and CEO of the Washington DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. released the following statement about Dedication Day.

Thank you for coming back this evening for a further update on our Dedication plans. In consultation with the National Park Service, the Mayor’s office and FEMA, it is with a heavy heart and enormous disappointment that we announce that, in the interest of public safety, we are forced to change our plans.

Here is the new schedule. First, the Friday schedule will continue as planned. Second, on Saturday we will hold the National Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This will be the final official event of the Dedication week.

We have worked with the Park Service to ensure that the Memorial will be open to the public, weather permitting, on Saturday. The Memorial will be open Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

Finally, the official Dedication ceremony will be moved to a date yet determined in September or October. We will announce those details when we have them. For now, we wanted to make sure you had this information as soon as possible.

So many worked tirelessly to dedicate the dream and make this Memorial a reality. We owe a special debt of gratitude to the Foundation staff, our generous sponsors, and to you, the public.

In the words of Dr. King, “we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” With that in mind, let’s remember the spirit of the Memorial – justice, democracy, hope and love.

Dedication Event Schedule:

Friday, August 26, 2011

Partners In the Dream (Exhibit Hall) MLK Store

Washington Convention Center

Hall D

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Women Who Dare To Dream Luncheon

Washington Convention Center

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

National Prayer Service

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be open to the public on the Friday, August 25 from noon until 10 p.m. and Saturday, August 26 from 8 a.m. to noon.

For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, please visit www.dedicatethedream.org.

# # #

Bit Rebels Twitter’s Top 75 Badass Women

2011-08-22T05:11:00.001-04:00

Bit Rebels – Twitter’s Top 75 Badass Women

Contract to Expand

2011-08-08T17:00:00.004-04:00

Social media has caused my world to contract... yet expand.

This sounds like an interesting scientific phenomenon doesn't it? : ) But it simply means that I have met so many people, through social media, from all around the world, that it has made the world a much smaller place. Yet at the same time my world is expanding for the very same reason!

My spiritual philosophy has always been that there is no separation between us...we are all one. Through social media, this philosophy is becoming more than a mere idea as I see everyone from so many different cultures share common ideas, beliefs, laughter and even tears....despite the miles or differences in their lives. Friendships have formed and deepened...and love becomes something that transforms the distance into a mere inconvenience.

On Twitter, Face book and Google+ we reach out to each other when world events unfold and catastrophes occur. We offer our help, money and prayers to our friends and their families in times of need.

Our lives have expanded to include so many others, and as a result, our hearts have opened up to extend love to so many more people that we ever thought it possible to allow into our lives.

So thus, through social media, our world becomes smaller as we expand our circle of friends.

2011-05-26T03:15:00.000-04:00

The divine energy will always shine along the path...may yours be clearly illuminated... ~dcincioni © 5-26-11

10 Tech PR Disasters of the Past Decade [PICS]

2011-05-14T13:44:00.000-04:00

10 Tech PR Disasters of the Past Decade [PICS]

2011-03-31T13:32:00.000-04:00

People tend to judge and evaluate another person based on their own perceptions and experiences in life...make sure that you can see the other person clearly and not colored by a brush dipped in misperception ...see from the heart and all things will be clear...~dcincioni © 3-30-11

The Spark

2011-03-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

In the Spark of a Flame is carried the Essence of the Sun...Inside our Heart we carry the Essence of the Divine ~D.Cincioni ©10-20-09

Life is a Dance

2011-02-23T04:46:00.003-05:00

Life is a dance...sometimes the music stops and we move on ... till the next melody captures us...~dcincioni ©11/2/10

Reflections On The Past Year.

2011-02-15T08:03:00.008-05:00

2010 was a year of certain discoveries and realizations - I say this with a smile...

The things that became clear to me were already known but had been cleverly hidden in the murky image that i saw in my mirror.

Being reminded of how very good we are at hiding things from ourselves elicted a chuckle...It is good to laugh at yourself.

Sometimes what we perceive to be true is only a reflection of the many mirrors that we see ourselves in...and the people that we have relationships with in life also reflect different aspects of our personalities...

If we look carefully at every relationship that we draw into our lives, then even those things that we refuse to see about ourselves are impossible to ignore...even the judgements that we make about these individuals are self judgements and point to thought processes that we need to recognize and change...facing the truth about ourselves and loving ourselves no matter what we may find...

As Jimi Hendrix said, “I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see.”

Im looking forward to a year that is no longer filled with reflections but instead filled with clarity... d.cincioni ©01/05/11

Colonial Williamsburg - A Favorite Destination

2011-02-08T05:16:00.001-05:00

Governers Palace by Air

When we decided to take a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia, we knew that the drive from Washington, DC south on Interstate 95 would add to any stress that was already felt (as anyone living in the Washington DC area can attest to). It is a road we all love to hate! Since traffic was heavy as usual, I hoped that we could get there before dark!

From the moment I entered the colonial area in Williamsburg, I noticed the quiet calm that made me feel as though I was caught between moments in time. The smell of boxwoods and the absence of traffic noise enhanced this tranquil moment. Who knew that we would find such serenity so close to the nation’s capital!

I fully expected this timeless quality to disappear once we walked away from our hotel and entered the colonial area, a place that some 4 million or so people visit from around the world. Surely the noise level would increase and transport me back to modern times and the feeling of hustle and bustle would ensue!

Yet as we walked down Duke of Gloucester street we were passed by a horse and carriage that softly clomped by and then a few blocks later by a group of hushed tourists who were following a man in period attire, lantern in hand, as he told the story of the ghosts of Williamsburg.

We walked into the outdoor eating area of Chowning's Tavern, a popular eating establishment in the colonial area, which is surrounded by a charming white picket fence and has both an indoor restaurant as well as an outside seating area with overhead arbors and quaint tables. Still the tranquil, timeless state persisted.

After our meal we were invited to stay and partake of dessert and entertainment inside the Tavern which, after 9:00pm, becomes Gambols, a reproduction of what a rum and ale tavern was like in the 18th century; with hearty food and entertainment, it was reported to be a raucous good time. *Note: even though the entertainment is not risqué, it can get bawdy at times so this is mainly an adult venue…and though they are welcome, the kids seem to clear out before 9pm…

We listened to rousing period songs performed by costumed musicians, such as what can you do with a drunken soldier, and were entertained by conjurers (now where did my watch disappear to?) and costumed staff that roamed from table to table teaching us all games that we were assured Thomas Jefferson himself had played right there and at other colonial taverns. All of the entertainment was happening right beside our table and, with everyone in the room participating in the activities; it was truly a unique experience…

Outside the tranquil sense of calm still remained. As we walked back to the hotel late that night the air was filled with the smell of the trees and flowers and boxwood hedges. It was so quiet that you could hear the tree limbs rub together with the soft breeze gently caressing them…like a song to the night that lulled us into a time that had passed while continuing to endure in the present.

We walked by the old courthouse, where by day the town bustled with activity, and then came upon the "Palace Green," whose expanse of lawn in the moonlight seemed alive with history and the ghosts of the birth of our country. I could even faintly hear the fife and drums in the distance which served to keep me entrenched in this suspended timeframe.

We then came to the Bruton Parish Church. This church, built in 1660, served as a hospital and storehouse during the Battle of Yorktown and as a hospital during the Civil war. I could almost see some of its famous parishioners such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Patrick Henry, strolling past us and walking up the grand stairs and into the elegant brick building which to this day still serves its parishioners.

We lingered here by the brick fenced in courtyard and spoke to one another of the beauty of the structure and the green expanse of trees and lawn and ever present hedges that added to the beauty of this location. All the while the wind blew, the willows swayed and the air seemed filled with the magic of this place!

As we got back to the hotel I could not help but think about the colonial area and the timeless quality that I was experiencing. Colonial Williamsburg is an oasis of tranquility in a stressful world and, with Washington DC less than three hours away and Richmond even closer, and with the Hampton roads area and Virginia beach less than an hour, we could not figure out how this place seemed to resist modern day foibles and stand still in time, as if in a bubble, while the rest of the world races by.

Since that time I have returned for many visits, explored the famed and delicious gourmet restaurant Trellis, had exhilarating times at Busch Gardens and nearby Kings Dominion and even enjoyed a gorgeous evening watching the winning American Idol perform on a stage built on the sand just 45 minutes away in Virginia Beach .

Despite my repeated return visits to Colonial Williamsburg, the peaceful still oasis remains constant, like a faithful friend, and I rejoice and feel rejuvenated mentally and spiritually after each visit! ~dcincioni © 2-08-11

Have fun on an interactive tour of Williamsburg here: http://www.history.org/almanack/tourthetown/flash.cfm

Include yourself

2011-01-12T12:22:00.004-05:00

In the process of "doing no harm to others," we sometimes forget to include ourselves. ~dcincioni © 1-10-11

Expectations

2010-12-29T04:34:00.001-05:00

Have no expectations of how it should be...and feel the freedom this creates! ~dcincioni ©12-29-10

Life is A Dance

2010-11-12T05:34:00.002-05:00

Life is a dance...so dance like the ocean teasingly dances with the shore, like your spirit dances with love to the rhythm of your Heart...Let us dance...debra cincioni © 10-04-09

Corporate Blogging Goes Mainstream - eMarketer

2010-10-20T14:00:00.001-04:00

Corporate Blogging Goes Mainstream - eMarketer

OCTOBER 20, 2010

Becoming fully incorporated into media and marketing

Blogging has been around for well over a decade—an eternity in internet time. Whereas blogs used to be a thorn in the side of traditional journalism, today they’re an essential ingredient in the media mix. Hardly a news organization exists that does not have a blog where its journalists post updates to breaking stories, offer personal commentary and engage in a dialogue with readers and viewers. Click on link above to view the full article.

Just Another Day

2010-09-16T05:44:00.000-04:00

City days grow shorter, winter thinks that its approach, obscured by the leaves of fall, will enter unnoticed.

-Business booms-bankrupts,

Stocks soar—Crash

Water flakes fall from the sky, crystalline glistening ice castles sent to distract the eye from the storm clouds gathering,

-Politicians pontificate – fall

Power grows-fades

Winds erupt in a cacophony of moans and shrieks, umbrellas turned inside out, paper dancing and pirouetting end to end until out of site.

-Actors emerge-fade

Reality fades-grows

People hurrying down brilliantly shining streets, ice vapors hiding red cheeked nose tucked faces.

-The earth groans-settles

Clouds burdened-relieved

The sun decides to hug the earth with its warm, secure embrace

-Trees crystallized- thaw

Bird’s peek-sing

Spring gently walks across the ice melted lakes, announcing its coming with a fanfare of butterflies and whippets of pollen

-Buds fatten-burst

Sunshine dances-hides

It’s just another day…

© Debra Cincioni 12/06

Negative

2010-09-11T05:04:00.000-04:00

When you allow the negative thoughts that enter your mind to grow and blossom, you are feeding the egos wall of defense. It wants you to stay in the same comfortable discomfort zone that it has established...yet it is not a place to thrive...you must allow the negative thoughts to happen, yet not allow them to take root in your garden...let them float past and observe that they are there for a reason...the reason is the root you seek....acknowlege the root, yet do not attach yourself to this knowledge...love all that you find in yourself and allow yourself to grow...d.cincioni © 8/2/2010

Each Choice

2010-08-24T17:00:00.001-04:00

Align yourself with truth...so that in each moment you choose love.
Love is just a choice away but love is the only way...it will lead you away from the confusion of the ego to that which is divine.~dcincioni © 8-20-10

There comes a time...Gary Zukav

2010-08-24T15:29:00.001-04:00

There comes a time when the pain of continuing exceeds the pain of stopping. At that moment, a threshold is crossed. What seemed unthinkable becomes thinkable. Slowly, the realization emerges that the choice to continue what you have been doing is the choice to live in discomfort, and the choice to stop what you have been doing is the choice to breathe deeply and freely again. Once that realization has emerged, you can either honor it or ignore it, but you cannot forget it. What has become known can not become unknown again. ~ Gary Zukav

12 Beginner Tutorials for Getting Started With Photoshop

2010-08-23T17:45:00.001-04:00

12 Beginner Tutorials for Getting Started With Photoshop

Awesome Infographic Shows Stats For America's Fortune 500 Companies

2010-08-08T18:23:00.000-04:00

Awesome Infographic Shows Stats For America's Fortune 500 Companies A great post by Jason Pollock! Check it out!

Never Underestimate a Mother

2010-08-02T06:57:00.003-04:00

I told some of you that I would post a paper that I had written in college regarding the skills that are learned being a mother. The paper was called, "My Introduction."

I wrote this introduction and published it on my college website partially in response to so many who question womens decisions in life. Namely the decision to stay at home with their children. Then when the children are older and a woman re-enters the marketplace, her lack of years in the field due to being a mother

I hope that you enjoy it and that it sparks some great discussions!

My Introduction: I would like to introduce myself to you, my classmates. My name is Debra and I am in my last few semesters of an integrative studies degree that is comprised of Psychology, Business management and IT.

My first impulse was to introduce myself as a mother; however, I have been told that one needs to define oneself as more that just a parent. I will nevertheless use this as a way of introducing myself to you because I feel that this has been the single most important thing that has influenced my life and given me the ability and knowledge to do so many things that, while not seemingly linked, nonetheless are synchronistic.

For example, I am currently an officer and Vice-President of a land and web based company. To attain and maintain this position, I have been called upon to utilize all of the skills that I have learned from being a parent, such as:

Management
Organization
Communication
Conflict Resolution
Conflict prevention
Conflict readiness
Mediation
Psychology
Creative problem solving
Patience
Stress Management
Economics
Research
The list could go on and on!

As a parent, and as a vice president of an organization, one has to manage not only the household/company, but also the interactions between the individuals in the household/company. This even includes the lunch breaks and the hours worked overtime!
From now on when using the phrase household/company, I will combine them in the phrase, “The Company” to avoid over using the “/” symbol!
Organizing all elements of a household, including one’s own time and everyone else’s time, insures the seamless running of the household. Being organized, and knowing the fundamentals of organization of tasks and time, helped me when I had to set up guidelines for the best usage of time and elements in the corporation that I am working for.
Communication, or the lack of communication, between my family members has taught me that it is one of the most important elements needed to run an organization. The harmonious and effective running of The Company can be disrupted by a lack of understanding between two members of the organization. Improperly communicating ones needs when a task needs to be accomplished results in improperly executed tasks and can lead to conflicts between all parties.
Being able to envision what type of conflicts could arise within the household or from outside the household, and taking steps to prevent these conflicts from happening, is a daily task that a parent has to handle. This is of great importance to the running of any type of organization. Setting up a plan of action should conflicts occur and resolving the conflicts that occur in the best way possible insures the survival of The Company.
Mediation between two parties to smooth ruffled feathers and insure productivity is a job that parents know well! Psychology is utilized here as well! These skills are vital to the management of an organization.
Regardless of what occurs in a household, or in a work environment, having the patience to deal with the problems and creatively coming up with solutions to problems are vital to the continued productivity and growth of the organization.
Effective communication, envisioning of conflicts prior to an occurrence, having a plan for dealing with conflict, mediation, patience and creatively solving problems has another great side effect, stress reduction!
The running of a household also taught me that budgeting money that is on hand and saving money through wise and economical purchases are important aspects of future financial planning. In my company this knowledge has assisted me in constructing realistic assessments of our current and future needs.
As a parent I have been asked to explain what something is, or why something is, at least a million times! Out of self-preservation, I have learned to conduct research to find out what things are or why things are. This researching was fine tuned in my past and current tasks at work. These tasks entailed conducting market research and competitive analysis as well as future technological and geographical needs. So what began as a parent answering the “what’s” and the “whys” led to the learning of a crucial work skill.
Explaining the answers to the frequently asked questions of a child also led to another ability that a parent gains…teaching skills!
All in all, my job as a parent has taught me the skills necessary to be successful in life in a meaningful and experiential way that has led to a lucrative and satisfying career!
The first thing that I thought of when asked to introduce myself is truly an important part of what has formed who I am. So…I can proudly say in this introduction to you my classmates that I am a mother…
dcincioni© 2009

NASA Uses Space Lasers to Map the World's Forests [PICS]

2010-07-21T22:24:00.000-04:00

NASA Uses Space Lasers to Map the World's Forests [PICS]

Gary Zukav Quote- Please Tell me...

2010-07-21T14:47:00.001-04:00

Please… tell me who you are and what you want. And if you think those are simple questions, keep in mind that most people live their entire lives without arriving at an answer.~ Gary Zukav

Loves whisper

2010-07-13T05:12:00.007-04:00

Love is the whisper heard from my soul long ago...now elevated by your presence.~debracincioni ©7/1/2010

Opposite But Complementary

2010-07-11T05:53:00.003-04:00

I believe in cultivating opposite, but complementary views of life, and I believe in meeting life's challenges with contradictory strategies.

I believe in reckoning with the ultimate meaninglessness of our existence, even as we fall in love with the miracle of being alive.

I believe in working passionately to make our lives count while never losing sight of our insignificance.

I believe in caring deeply and being beyond caring.

It is by encompassing these opposites, by being involved and vulnerable, but simultaneously transcendent and detached, that our lives are graced by resilience and joy.~ Fritz Williams

Everyone is Sexy...oops should i dare say that word! : )

2010-07-08T17:51:00.001-04:00

Everyone is Sexy. Dont let anyone make you feel less a woman, or man , because of their perceptions of what sexy is or isnt. It really isnt all about the way the models look in the Victorias Secret or GQ catalogues.

Sexy is a perception to others...but to oneself...sexy is how one feels in ones skin...the more one can be in touch with their senses and inner energy and project that outward with wit charm and honesty in a real and not manipulative way...then they will exude the term sensuous. It can be an irresistible force! ~debra cincioni

A Quote About Vulnerability By Sara Paddison

2010-07-07T02:20:00.010-04:00

"Being vulnerable doesn't have to be threatening. Just have the courage to be sincere, open and honest. This opens the door to deeper communication all around. It creates self-empowerment and the kind of connections with others we all want in life. Speaking from the heart frees us from the secrets that burden us. These secrets are what make us sick or fearful. Speaking truth helps you get clarity on your real heart directives." ~Sara Paddison

In Bed With... Lukas Rossi

2010-07-06T16:05:00.001-04:00

While touring for his new album 'Hollywood,' Lukas climbed in bed with Jeff & Melissa. In Bed With... is an intimate interview series, created & hosted by Melissa Jun Rowley and Jeff Rago - @JeffRago on Twitter - & produced by MingleMediaTV.com http://www.minglemediatv.com

I am me...

2010-07-06T04:03:00.001-04:00

Dino Jag - Calling All The Saints (Song for Haiti)

2010-07-06T02:29:00.001-04:00

2010-06-24T13:13:00.001-04:00

Remember that which you have forgotten that you know....you are a shining light & love is your message... dcincioni © 6/22/2010

Seeing with our hearts

2010-06-23T04:14:00.001-04:00

When looking from the heart - it becomes easier to see through the eyes of a stranger...or a friend... dcincioni 6-22-10

peace

2010-05-22T19:09:00.003-04:00

Neglect

2010-05-22T18:45:00.004-04:00

Would you so easily neglect the love that blossoms in your heart if you knew how high the cost of removing the weeds - without destroying the blooms - would be? ~ debracincioni © 5-22-10

You Are...

2010-02-18T22:27:00.000-05:00

You are who you want to be...remember this always...it is your choice...

Never forget that you are the author of your own book, the keeper of your own flame and by your choices you choose whether to shine or not...whether to share your light with others...or not.

Each thought you allow in, each thought that you allow to influence you, has weight and spreads out around you and then reflects back toward you...

Keep your thoughts as light as a wisp of wind... flowing by and acknowledging, yet not burdening. Feeding, yet not extinguishing your flame. ~d.cincioni © 8/29/10

Reactions

2010-02-11T06:19:00.000-05:00

If others actions cause you to

react in a certain way, what is it

about their actions that cause you

to feel this way?

Is it their actions, or are you allowing your mind to interpret their actions in a certain way based on your own perceptions?

Learn to see things clearly - for in clarity of thought there is a certain freedom gained that allows you to see things from the heart instead of the mind. ~ dcincioni © 8/30/09

Calm

2010-01-29T04:35:00.000-05:00

Tested

2010-01-29T04:29:00.000-05:00

The Impact of Words

2010-01-17T21:22:00.003-05:00

When a John Troust quote, "I can't read lips unless they're touching mine", was posted on twitter, it elicited an unexpected, yet interesting emotional response from me... so I commented that I liked it. I didnt dwell on the reasons that I liked the quote until someone jokingly asked me why I was so touched by it... After laughing, I read the words again. "I can't read lips unless they're touching mine"

Immediately I felt myself responding to the words. Tenderness, longing, and I admit an electric and primal reaction ocurred all at the same time. Yet this vibration then resonated deeply within my heart. The heart interpreted the feelings - then the primal reactions were tranferred into a warm glow within.

It is always fascinating when such powerful reactions are inspired by so few words.

Reflections

2010-01-12T01:33:00.001-05:00

The shining glimmer of a raindrop... caught just so at the edge of a leaf... reflects the essence of my wonderment......dcincioni 1-11-2010

The Heart Listens

2009-10-25T04:01:00.007-04:00

In Anothers Mirror

2009-10-02T02:29:00.007-04:00

Heartbeat of Time

2009-09-22T22:13:00.015-04:00

In a heartbeat of time, notes are written, songs are sung and lives change...just like that... ~dcincioni © 9-16-2009

Tree

2009-09-21T03:11:00.004-04:00

Juxtaposition

2009-09-12T21:58:00.014-04:00

Can you see the Juxtaposition within? Can you feel the Energy that it Creates?

Can you Unconditionally Accept and Love All Aspects of Yourself...If So, That Energy Becomes Sublime.
~dcincioni© 2009

My Heart

2009-09-10T01:36:00.011-04:00

From my heart there are memories of a time that defies space or time and just is and always was...love.

Most of the time I am there and within the warmth and depth of that space I dwell...and it makes the slip into my mind state so much harder to bear... until i breath...and i am there again. ~d.cincioni © 2009

More to Life Than Love

2009-09-03T06:00:00.003-04:00

Being Different

2009-08-26T18:27:00.004-04:00

When I feel alone in my beliefs, I momentarily grieve as though a mother for a lost child.
Even though I am aware that separation is only an illusion...when no one understands your thoughts or beliefs it can make you feel different. In that difference one often stands alone..

Yet Therein lies my strength. ~ d.cincioni © 2009

Can you trust Perceptions?

2009-06-08T21:26:00.005-04:00

A copious blend of Arrogance Supreme, at first glance, one perceives
Yet one who discerns
can sense the concern -
and the willingness to understand - deceives

dcincioni ©2009